[Spank-A-Thon]

I heard this rumour too some time ago - but it would appear that Ninty Japan and Ninty America are providing mixed messages.

This is taken from here.

Nintendo developing next home console

[04/11/2002: 10:40]
The rumours of Nintendo's console death have been greatly exaggerated

Back in June, Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata made some comments that fuelled rumours that Gamecube was Ninty's last console. Well, recent comments from Nintendo of America appears to label those rumours as pap.

When talking of Nintendo's future direction back in the summer, Iwata commented, "We're reaching the limits of how far we can appeal to consumers by boosting the machine's performance or providing more compelling graphics and sound. I feel like a chef cooking for a king who's full."

He went on to say, "Price cuts in software could destroy the game industry. The effort to produce machines with better technology has reached its limit. If things continue, they may lead to the decline of the entire games industry."

These were some of the comments that led to the rumour of Nintendo going console-less in the future. However, Nintendo of America's VP executive of sales and marketing, Peter MacDougall, has totally quashed such rumours at the recent GKM Playtime conference in New York.

"Nintendo is in the software business - to stay. Nintendo is in the handheld business - to stay. And Nintendo is most certainly in the home console business - to stay. Work is well under way on the successor technology to both Game Boy Advance and Nintendo Gamecube," was his black and white statement.

Which means we can all be happy bunnies now as Nintendo are certainly bringing out another home console.

- S